The End of a Long Quest 1st PART
by Isabel M-Ameban
Summary: What if Naga and Zelgadiss meet each other? And if Amelia would decides to looking for her older sister to avoid more family disputes over the Royal Crown ? And if Gourry would meet Luna?. You will know it if you read this story. Chapter-3 UP!
1. Chapter1 Meetings

"Slayers-Fanfics Novella" 

Ok, At first I must to grateful David, Gloria and Vanessa because encourage me with this story and give my their opinions and sugestions. And Helena because she's translating this story to English (she's better than me in English, but perhaps it could to have stranger regards): many people from Spain and South-America like this fic a lot and they encourage me to put it in English and now I do so.  
  
Later, this my first attempt of fic really, and it has been pretty hard for me to write it: I had to informant me about many things like Amelia and her family's past, or politic map of Slayers World and many things, so I altered any files while I write this fic ( since August'99 till January'00) in Spanish version. Recently I know other many dates about names of spells and things, so English version is lightly different than others in Spanish in the net, but the story is the same exactly.  
  
Another hand this story is based in anime mainly, but it has many dates from Manga ( the three first tomes has been published in Spain, which are more similar original novels) ; besides I like serious arguments, so it has humorous lacks ( greater part at first chapters) but all characters are serious. Other thing: all character who appear in this story, appear in anime series, Ovas or Movies, too; so you can find characters like Martina, Vulvum, Bolan "the Brave", Mimi&Meme twin sisters, and other many people. I thing Slayers has many interesting and fun characters.  
  
Well, the story is unfinished yet (English version) and I'm writing second part in Spanish now. Anyway, I hope you like it.

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The End of a Long Quest"   


= Chapter: 1**. "Mettings"**

  


Gourry thought that the most surprising thing about the older sister of his friend, the fearsome and powerful Lina Inverse, was that she looked nothing like Lina at all, at least in terms of her physical appearance. Granted, he hadn't really known _what_ he was expecting her to be like. In the three years that he and Lina had been traveling together, the red-haired sorceress had spoken little about her sister, and what little she had related to him had been quickly been forgotten by his pea-sized brain (along with most everything else she had ever told him). All that Gourry had managed to retain about Luna, was that she was a strong character, that she worked a part-time job as a waitress in a bar in Zefiria, and that her younger sister Lina was mortally terrified of her, as was evidenced by the massive panic-attack which was now overwhelming the young sorceress as she and Gourry drew ever closer to her childhood home.  
  
Despite her fear, Lina knew she couldn't postpone this visit any longer. It had been four years since she had last been in these parts. There were long overdue family responsibilities she had to attend to. And there was also a good chance that Luna might be able to tell Gourry where he could find a magical sword to replace Gorun Nova, which he had given up after the battle with Dark Star. Provided, of course, that Lina could summon the courage to ask her for her help in this matter.  
  
"Hello? Is there anybody home?" asked Lina in a timid voice, after waiting what seemed like forever for her for her knock on the door to be answered. "Luna?.....Are you there?"  
  
Gourry looked on with interest. In all the years he had known Lina, and in all the adventures they had been on together, he had never known her to be this scared. Surely, he thought to himself, Lina's sister can't be THAT bad of a pers--  
The door swung open.  
Lina flew backwards from the threshold several feet and came to land face-first in the dust. From the darkened interior of the house, there rang out a shrill and unknown voice  
  
"Of COURSE I'm here, you ingrate! So this is how you repay me for bringing you up! Running away from home for years at a time, never bothering to visit me, or even to send me a letter to let me know how you are!"  
  
Lina sat up. On her face was a large, red, fist-shaped welt which she promptly began to rub  
  
"But Luna! I meant to come back home sooner, but....I got caught up in a lot of things! I've been busy!"  
  
"Yeah," scoffed Luna," I know how busy you've been. Busy attacking band after band of bandits and looting their treasure. Busy destroying whole cities wherever you go. You even destroyed Zoana's royal palace!"  
  
"That's not fair, Luna! You know I've been doing a lot of good as well... After all, it was _I_ who carried out that mission that Firia had originally entrusted to YOU...."  
  
"And I suppose you managed to do THAT without causing any unnecessary destruction, didn't you?"  
  
"Um.......Well.....er...."  
  
"Lina! Are you all right?"  
  
Gourry now rushes over to Lina's side and attempts to pull her to her feet. Luna's eyes fall upon the blonde swordsman and quickly look him over from head to foot.  
  
"Well....Who might THIS be?" she says with bemused interest, as she steps across the threshold and into the sunlight where Gourry can now plainly see her. His jaw drops. He lets loose his grip on Lina's arm, letting her fall back to the ground amid a flurry of threats and cusswords which he pays little attention to. Gourry couldn't believe it. These two were sisters, but they looked nothing alike! Luna was MUCH taller than Lina. Her hair was wasn't red or curly--it looked a lot like Sylphiel's as a matter of fact. But by far, the biggest contrast between these two ladies was in the shape of their figures. Luna's was much more....curved......  
  
"You ....Are you really Luna? Lina's sister?" Gourry wondered aloud as he approached the woman in the door way, " But you...You've got _breasts!_" To emphasize this point, Gourry reached forward and placed his hand upon the woman's ample chest. Yup. There they were alright. There was no mistaking it...  
  
The expression on Luna's face was one he recognized well. It was exactly the same expression Lina always got on her face right before she always--  
  
Those two were sisters alright.  
  
Gourry found himself flying backwards into the air in a graceful arc. This blow made Lina's punches seem like caresses in comparison. Within moments, the dim-witted swordsman found himself lying beside Lina with his face-down in the dirt.  
  
'You Jelly-fish brain!," snarled Lina," How DARE you touch my sister like that! I oughta--"  
  
"All right, Lina," Muttered Luna, a vein on her forehead twitching dangerously," You'd better start explaining to me who this idiot is and why you took so long in coming back to visit me..."  
  
"Okay, Luna! I'll tell you... But only if you promise not to hit me again..."  
  
"I never make promises I know I can't keep! You're going to tell me all I want to know or I'm going to make you _very _sorry you decided to come back....I've got three hours before my shift begins at 'Lianlanser'. That should give you plenty of time to tell me your story...Now come in the house!"  
  
Lina jumps to her feet and rushes past her sister into the doorway of the house, leaving behind her a trail of tears and dust.  
  
"Hey Stupid Boy!," Luna motioned to Gourry," You too. Inside!"  
  
Within seconds, there are two trails of dust fading above the threshold....  
  
  
The Inverse Family Homestead was an ancient building with thick masonry walls and steeply-inclining roofs. It looked as if it had been opulent at one time, but now it looked a bit neglected and run-down, probably because the only tenant it had living in it for many a year was the lone psychotic sorceress now leading our heroic duo through it's chambers. Luna guided Lina and Gourry to what looked like a living room, at the center of which, there stood a small round table surrounded by four enew chairs. Cupping her hands into the shape of a bowl, Luna closed her eyes and started reciting a spell:  
  
-_ "Shining light born in the wind, concentrate upon my hands...."_ As she spoke, a radiant ball formed within her fingers and rose up towards the rafters. Once there, it cast off sparks which set alight all of the lamps and candles within the room. Gourry, who had been holding his breath upon seeing this, now let it go with a sigh of relief. He knew this spell wasn't something he needed to be afraid of. It surprised him that Luna was also a sorceress just like her sister, and from the looks of it, every bit as masterful as casting spells. Lighting spells, anyway.  
  
"All right now, sis. Sit down and tell me what's happened to you...."  
  
Lina let out a sigh as she pulled out a chair and sat down, carefully arranging her cape to fall over the back of the chair where it wouldn't get wrinkled. She knew this was going to be a very long conversation.  
  
"Okay, Luna.... First off, this is Gourry Gabriev and he's my......"

* * *

At this moment, far away from Lina's hometown, a reunion similar to this one is taking place between two princesses, once former rivals and now fast friends. Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun could remember the first time she had come to the kingdom of Zoana on an important diplomatic mission. She recalled how Zoana's Princess Martina had tried to kidnap her and harm her friends,-- Miss Lina, Mr. Gourry and Mr. Zelgadiss-- in some mad scheme for world domination, (or something Really Unjust like that.) Now, however, Martina was an upright, justice-loving person. having gained a lot of maturity and wisdom through those many adventures she had had with Miss Lina and fighting Hellmaster. She was also now a married woman, overseeing the rebuilding of her own kingdom, and one of Amelia's most dearest friends. And now, after what seemed like ages, Amelia was journeying back to Zoana to pay her a royal visit.  
  
She would find that Martina really hadn't changed much since the last time the two of them had seen each other. However, her new role as a royal wife had resulted in some small changes in her manner and appearance. Her clothing was a bit more conservative. She no longer acted as a crazy, love-struck young girl, but acted more in a manner befitting a ruler. Her dreams of uniting all of the kingdoms of the world under her own had pretty much fizzled by now, (which was just as well, since Phibrizzo's death and the removal of his barrier would've opened up many more lands to conquer than she would've wanted to anyway.) Some ways in which Martina hadn't changed: She still spoke in her proud, pompous manner of speech (which contrasted hilariously with her sweet and squeaky voice). She still continued to browbeat her father into letting her run everything within the kingdom, and, of course, she still celebrated her undying love and adoration for her own personal guardian monster, the patron deity of Zoana, Zoamelgustar.  
  
"My, there sure are a lot more of those.... things around than there were before," sighed Amelia to herself as she spied yet _another_ one of those dreadful masks on the palace walls surrounding her. "How can Martina have such devotion to a monster she made up herself?"   
  
Shaking her head, Amelia started pacing around the spacious chamber where Martina's servants had led her to minutes before. Any second now, Martina would arrive to greet her, both as a fellow princess and as a friend, and, if past actions were any indication of future behavior, she was probably going to make some kind of grand entrance  
  
Amelia! At last you've _cooooome_!"  
  
"Hi, Miss Martina!"  
  
The two girls rushed forward to embrace each other. Well, what do you know, each observed about the other, this time she didn't go falling flat on her face...  
  
The girls stood back to look at one another. Amelia had grown a little taller, noted Martina. But she was still able to fit into that salmon pink dress which had become her favorite outfit to wear on official state occasions. The expression on her face still reflected her cheerful character, but it now seemed more like the face of an adult, of someone who had been out in the world, had difficult experiences, and had learned from them.  
  
  
"Oh Amelia! You have NO _ideeeeea_ how scared I was when I heard about that golden _draaaaagon _attacking your kingdom. And when nothing had been heard from you afterwards, I thought you were dead for certain!"  
  
"Oh, no.... It wasn't as serious a situation as you had probably been led to think it was..." Amelia tried to change the subject, thinking now was not the time to tell Martina about her adventure beyond the barrier and her battle with Dark Star, "What about Mr. Zangulus?," she asked sweetly," Isn't he with you?"   
  
"Oh, of course he is! He's downstairs in the practice arena, training with his sword..."  
  
"Oh... ," replied Amelia pensively, "Does he still want to try and defeat Mr. Gourry?"  
  
"No. These days he's just training the Royal Guard. He doesn't feel as if he needs to defeat Gourry to prove himself anymore. You should see how my dear Zangulus swings his sword! If he and that big blonde swordsman were ever to take each other on, I know _he'd_ prove the victor this time!"  
  
" I don't know if he'd _want_ to fight Mr. Gourry again. .. You see, Mr. Gourry has lost his light sword..."  
  
"What? How did THAT happen?"  
  
"Oh he just returned it to it's legitimate owners. It's part of a long story... ."  
  
"Well I've got plenty of time to hear it. Why don't we tell each other what we've been up to?. I'll go first!"   
  
"Oh.. That's most...gracious of you..."  
  
  
Martina began talking about life as a married woman, and about how she had painstakingly restored the palace of Zoana to its former glory, and about how wonderful it was to be a servant of the great and mighty Zoamelgustar. When Amelia finally got her turn to talk, she spoke about the Outside World beyond the barrier and what it had been like and she was finally about to tell her all about her quest to defeat Dark Star, when Martina abruptly threw a question her way.  
  
"The other guys...How are they all doing now?"  
  
"Oh... I don't know very much about what they're up to these days, but I think that Miss Lina and Mr. Gourry are still travelling together..."  
  
"Oh, I don't doubt that," Martina tried to suppress a giggle, " I knew a long time ago that those two lovebirds were going to be inseparable till the end of time."  
  
"Actually, all they're doing now is trying to find a replacement for the Sword of Light... And Sylphiel... I don't know how what she's been doing lately , but I'd really like to see her again sometime. She's been so unlucky. Her home town, Sairaag and the Holy Tree Flagoon have both been destroyed. Her parents are dead, and Gourry doesn't love her.... It's so sad!" Amelia let out a heavy sigh. Martina had barely known Sylphiel and so wasn't much aware of her personal misfortunes, but likewise, she too, sighed and cast her eyes downward where they fell upon Amelia's crossed hands.   
"Uh....Amelia... Did you lose one of your bracelets?"  
  
"Huh?" Amelia had been blindsided by the question," Oh! My bracelet! Uh, it's um......er...." She was aware that her cheeks were getting warmer. Oh no! She was blushing! She hoped Miss Martina hadn't noticed it, but that hope was dashed once she saw the broad smile spreading upon the face of the curly-haired princess.  
  
"Heh. I know what happened to it...You didn't lose it, did you?"  
  
"Wh-what was that you said, Miss Martina?"  
  
"Oh, Nothing... Nothing at all....Oh, I just remembered, I've got something very important to tell you..."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I think I know where your sister is..."  
  
The red glow on Amelia's face quickly faded, and was quickly replaced by a look of utter astonishment.  


* * *

After traveling through all of the ancient kingdoms beyond the Demon's Barrier, on the trail of one false clue after another, Zelgadiss finally found himself standing in the center of Sadgria City, a bustling port which lay at the foot of the Uulgum Mountains. He was extremely uncomfortable, not only by the large number of people crowding this cities' dark and dusty streets, but also by the fact that Sadgria was the center of most of the Bounty Hunter activity in this region. He knew that if he removed his mask, he was liable to frighten the people who milled about him, but if he kept it on, he was just as liable to draw the eye of every bounty hunter within the city limits. (Who else, they would figure, would be wearing a mask at all times, but a wanted criminal with a price on his head?…An this idea wasn't stupid, really) If he were lucky, everyone in this town would look at the mask, think he was a leper and leave him alone. If he were even _more_ lucky, the person he had come to this town to see would have it within their power to grant him his long-sought-for cure. Zelgadiss wasn't going to hold his breath, though....Not yet...  
  
He now made his way down a long series of congested side streets to an inn standing by the waterfront. Inside the inn were the usual unwashed rabble one could expect to find gathered in such a place--drunken sailors and mercenaries, holding their tankards of alcohol aloft and singing bawdy songs, as if they were all the best of friends and had known each other a long time. The bar reeked of alcohol and other things (things that Zelgadiss thought were best _not _thought about.) He managed to find an open space in the corner of the room and there he sat, in a low-backed chair, waiting, hoping the shadows would conceal his features from the rabble; that they'd be too absorbed in their own unsavory pursuits to notice him. Time passed. After what seemed like an eternity in that stifling, stench-filled air, a strange man with watery eyes walked up to the chimera and bowed to him in greeting.  
  
"The mistress has been waiting for you. Follow me, please."  
  
Zelgadiss stood up and with a sigh of relief and a pounding heart, followed the strange little man out of the back door of the inn, towards a small guesthouse. A tall curtain served as the door to this small, rather unassuming structure. With a dramatic gesture, the strange little man drew it aside.  
  
"Go on in"...  
  
Zelgadiss had seen many things in his life. He was intelligent, adept at magic, and had a wide range of experience in the ways of this world, but nothing he had seen up till now could prepare him for the bizarre spectacle which awaited him beyond that curtain. As soon as the chimera's eyes were adjusted to the dim interior of the guesthouse, he saw before him a woman lying upon a richly upholstered divan. She was no older than he himself was. --A seductive smile was on her face, and a glass of wine was balancing precariously on the tips of her fingers. She was surrounded by boxes and chests filled with jewels, diamonds, cold coins, and magical objects like orihalcon objects, potion bottles, powders, roots, and spell books. But by far, the most compelling feature of the entire room was the woman who lay sprawling in the center of it all. Just who was she?  
  
There was no doubt in his mind but she had to be a sorceress. In his life, Zelgadiss had seen a large number of sorceresses and they all dress a certain way, with long capes, shoulder guards, and magical gems pinned to their usually tight and revealing outfits in an unique color. This one seemed different, however. There was something...disturbingly familiar about the way she looked. She was as tall as Gourry, and extremely voluptuous, with long, shapely legs, wide hips and quite possibly the largest set of breasts he had ever seen. (It was a good thing Lina wasn't here to see them, lest her already lagging self-esteem take a nosedive. Not that Zelgadiss cared anything about his friend's strange and stupid complexes..)  
  
The sorceress wore a low-cut black bikini with a matching thong (which seemed to do only a half-hearted job at covering up the most intimate areas of her body). She wore black boots and gloves, sorceress gems, and a heavy cape which cascaded from two enormous spiked shoulder pads. Those pads reminded Zel of those he had once seen on Ellis, that star-crossed madwoman of Sairaag. But as strange as it may sound, the one person the reclining figure really reminded him of more than any other was...oddly enough...Amelia. The same blue eyes, arched eyebrows and black hair. Even the same sproingy lock pointing out at the top of her head.. But surely, inside, Amelia was nothing like this vulgar temptress....Though if she were.....   
Zelgadiss found himself thinking rather ungentlemanly thoughts which he quickly fought to suppress. This was no time for.....those kind of thoughts. He had important work to do. He stepped forward to greet the woman, who was quick to notice him, with his face hidden under a hood and obscured by a strange-looking mask and all. She seemed annoyed by this disguise of his, clicking her tongue as she lifted herself to a sitting position. Zelgadiss, sensing her apprehension, lifted his hood and tore the cloth from his face. He waited for her to rear backwards, repulsed by his monstrous appearance as so many others had been. But instead, all she did was lean with a look of keen interest on her face.  
  
Strange. He looked like a monster, but what_ type _of monster was something she couldn't quite put her finger on. He seemed young and his body (what little she could see of it) was well-proportioned and athletic, with a triangular torso, a thin waist, and long legs. His skin was ashen-colored, and there appeared to be stones embedded into it's surface, especially around the man's eyes and chin. His hair was shiny, like silver and rigid like wire and fell in sharp wisps over his long, pointed ears. His plain white outfit and the gem on his chest identified him as a sorcerer....So... THIS was the man who had traveled from far away lands just to meet with her.   
  
Before Zelgadiss knew what was happening, the young woman lifted one of her hands to her mouth and let out a laugh--  
  
"Oh-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO!!!!!"  
  
Zelgadiss immediately clapped his hands to his ears. Every silvery hair on his head stood on end. It was as if her laugh was filling the entire world. Never had he heard anything so jarring, so painful to listen to. Even Xelloss' irritating jokes and his "It is a secret's" were preferable to listen to than this ear-shattering outburst. Thankfully, it lasted only a brief moment, whereupon the woman rose to her feet and pointed.  
  
"I know who you are! I've seen you before...Although I don't remember your name..."  
  
"I wasn't aware that you'd seen me before, Miss Naga."  
  
Naga rushed over to a box sitting in one of the corners of the room and threw it open. Zelgadiss could see the royal crest of Seyruun emblazoned upon its lid. Inside were some old papers, which the woman rifled through and shoved aside until, at last, she pulled out what appeared to be an old poster with a picture of his face on it and the word, "Wanted" printed at the top. In the picture, his face was twisted into a cruel grimace, showing a pair of long fangs poking out from behind his lips.   
"As I remember," began Naga as she dangled the poster in front of the chimera."-- there was once a large price on your head, _"Dark Warrior"......"_  
  
"That was a couple of years ago. And the person who was offering the reward only wanted to capture me in order to settle a personal vendetta she had against me. Don't tell all that you know of me is from that ridiculous poster. I can't see why someone like you would collect those things."  
  
"Well," replied Naga," I'm always searching for ways to make a lot of money. I saw many these wanted posters of you hanging around a while back, and I thought I could get my hands on the reward money...even though many of them really weren't offering that much for you.... Would've been hardly worth my trouble to catch you and bring you in..." Naga began to roll up the aging paper in her hands, "The truth is, you've surprised me. When I heard a guy named Zelgadiss wanted to see me, I had no idea it would be the guy from this old poster, or that you'd be a chimera. What's with you anyway? Why do you have a human name? And what is it you want with me?"  
  
Zelgadiss wasn't comfortable with sharing intimate details of his life with a woman like this, but since he wanted her help, he felt he had no choice but to tell her _something._  
  
"I wasn't always like this. I was born a human. And all I want to do now in life is to go back to being a human, if I can... I need your help to recover my true body."  
  
Wow. This guy's _full_ of surprises, thought Naga. From the looks of this fellow and from the fact that he had become a wanted man and was searching for magical objects, she thought all he really wanted was power. But all he wanted was to become human again? Naga scratched her head. A thought came to her.  
  
"Hey, you said you were _born_ a human?... You wouldn't happen to be that 'Definitive Chimera' that Diol was trying to create, are you?  
  
"Diol? Who is he?"  
  
"Oh...You're not then... Okay... Diol was just some crazy sorcerer who was trying to create the world's most powerful chimera in order to fight demons with it. He tried using a 'friend' of mine as a host body for this experiment but she wasn't too keen on the idea. She and I soon put that weirdo in his place."  
  
Zel sighed. He wasn't too thrilled to learn that there were humans other than Rezo, who were capable of making chimeras out of humans, but he couldn't think about that now.   
  
"So," he continued, "Now that you know who I am and what I want, will you agree to help me?"  
  
The conversation had switched gears a little too abruptly for Naga's taste, but she went with the flow.   
  
"It depends on two things," she said, drawing her face close to Zel's " First, what must I do to help you, and second (and most importantly) --what will you pay me?"  
  
Zelgadiss looked about the room, running his eyes over the riches which filled it. This sorceress was fond of such things, obviously, so her price was apt to be high. He couldn't repeat the mistake he had made when he first met Lina, while he was trying to buy the orihalcon statue with the Philosopher's Stone in it from her. He had told Lina to name her price, which she did. A ridiculously high sum he had no chance of ever affording. He'd have to use a different strategy in this case with this sorceress, lest the same thing happen...   
  
"I don't have enough money with me to pay the price which I think you're going to ask of me, so...instead, in exchange for your help I'll offer myself as a servant to you...To use in any way you see fit." He shivered at the thought of serving under someone, the way he had, for half his life, served under Rezo. But if this was the only way he could attain his cure, he would have no choice. He continued with his sales pitch:  
  
"Moreover, I hear you are a specialist in golems and in their creation and I myself am part golem so there's a good chance you'll find it easy to help me..."  
  
"Ohhhh." Naga bent forward and examined his body. It WAS made completely of stone! And so nicely shaped, too! What kind of a sorcerer would've been capable of doing a job as perfectly as this?  
  
"Hmmm. You're right when you say I'm a specialist in golem invocations. I also know how to do ice spells pretty well. But when it comes to chimeras, I don't know anything. I was kind of turned off by that subject after that little run-in I had with Diol..."  
  
"Well?" Zelgadiss was starting to get a little annoyed," Do you think you could help me at all? Or did I come all this way for nothing?"   
  
Naga frowned. She really didn't want anything to do with this guy now, yet she would've hated to have just let him go and perhaps miss out on the opportunity to get herself a great servant. Especially if this guy was capable of helping her get her hands on a lot of money.  
  
"You know... Maybe I can't do anything for you, but near the vanished city of Sairoog, there used to be a Sorcerer's Guild which specialized in chimeras and cloning... I think a servant of Rezo's used to live there. Maybe she can help you..."  
  
"No she can't. The sorceress you're talking about is dead. And the Guild's been destroyed as well. This information is useless to me!"  
  
"Well, maybe if I look hard enough around here, I may be able to find something--"  
  
"Unless you have a copy of the Claire Bible on hand, don't bother looking. It's the only thing that can help me now."  
  
She stared at him, mutely.  
  
So this was yet _another_ dead end.  
  
"It was a pleasure to meet you...Goodbye!..." Zelgadiss replaced his mask, threw his hood over his head and stormed out, leaving a shocked sorceress behind him, looking on.  
  
"The Claire Bible?"......  
  


  
Without a word, Zelgadiss left the guesthouse, passed through the inn, and slipped out onto the streets, unnoticed, like a shadow...


	2. Chapter2 A Strange Agremeent

The End of A Long Quest"

=Chapter: 2**. "A Stranger Agreement"**

* * *

It was getting dark when Zelgadiss left the guesthouse. Walking aimlessly without a destination in mind, he arrived at the port and let his mind lose itself in the endless sea and horizon. Ships were coming and going, evidence that sailing and trade had only grown in Sadgria now that the Demon's Barrier had disappeared. Still, it was no concern of Zelgadiss'.

He sat down on one of the pillars which the biggest ship was tied on and began to think... He had once again lost an opportunity to become completely human; the young woman called Naga was useless to him, but he would keep searching in spite of that. Then there was the fact that Naga reminded him of Amelia. Finally, pensively, he looked at the chalzen amulet he still wore on his right wrist; given to him by the princess before they parted ways. He smiled apprehensively, and not without sadness, when his mind was flooded with memories of a not so distant past: in front of his eyes flashed the memories of how he met Lina, a girl who did not trust him because of his deformed face... "A man with such a face like that, can't be good". Amelia did it, too; she called him "A very suspicious guy," although she asked for his forgiveness later, when she realized she had made a snap judgment. Yeah, in the end, Lina spent her time making fun on Zelgadiss' obsession for getting back his old self. Gourry had forced him into taking their baths in the hot springs together, even though he was ashamed of his own naked body, and, finally, Amelia did not understand why he wanted to change his appearance because she liked him the way he was... What were they trying to tell him? Perhaps they wanted to tell him that all his efforts would be in vain? As if to say that being a chimera wasn't too bad after all? What if it was like they said? Was he simply drowning in another obsession by wanting to recover his true form, by not accepting himself as he was now? Hadn't he ended up as a chimera because he was obsessed with becoming strong and powerful? Was he not dealt this hand because he could not accept his weakness? Would he centre his life around his cure, and follow the same destructive path that his grandfather Rezo had taken in his obsession to cure his blindness? It was true: he was a young boy who wanted to be someone powerful and strong; he wanted to be a great swordsman and his obsession transformed him into the monster he was now. Rezo had been born blind because one of the seven parts of Ruby Eye was sealed in his eyes, and his obsession with regaining his sight drove him to resurrect the Dark Lord, which brought them both only death. Yes, in the end obsession was going to be at his only family inheritance.

The idea of being the victim of yet another obsession appeared in front of him like a painful truth. What if Zelgadiss' desire to recovering his true self was so strong then he couldn't be happy in any way? If his continuous intention of being human again was an impediment for be happy? He could understand what his friends were trying to point out, even though it was painful. That thought produced an empty void in his stomach. If there really was no cure, then he had lost the last three years of his life in a stupid, senseless quest. Maybe it would be better to come to terms with the advantages and disadvantages of being a chimera: he walked two uniquely different paths, so he should know the advantages that came with the two forms of his existence.

  
Zelgadiss started to think about the matter. On one hand, he had all he had desired in his youth: he was strong, fast, and invulnerable to arms or conventional illness, he had the sixth sense of a brow demon and the expertise in Astral Magic to match. Those were the advantages, but what of the disadvantages? His body was very heavy, so much so that he could not ride a horse or travel by any vehicle that did not have the capacity for his weight, which forced him to always travel on foot. His silver hair was worse than a hedgehog's, and it stuck in and stabbed everywhere and anything. At least he only had hair on his head, and his stone skin, embedded with rocks, made him look like a horrible monster, not to mention his lack of precision in delicate matters due to the hardness of his skin. He definitely had changed a lot of the details in his daily life. Still, and most importantly was the fact that people were, and always would be, scared of him: whenever people saw him, they either pointed, in the best case (when they did not leave simply mistaking him for a leper or another person with a dreadful illness), or they attacked him because they assumed he was as a demon or a monster. Of course, the crimes he had committed under Rezo's orders only further spawned their fear and hatred. He was now an outlaw in many places because of his theft and murder in an attempt to find the Philosopher's Stone. His heart had been forged into the same stone that had become his skin, just like Rangus', another chimera whom he had met only a few weeks ago. Zelgadiss had to admit it was his first and most prominent problem, and it was the reason he always refused to have relations with other people. This last thought was followed by thoughts of his friends; it was only in with them that he could truly be himself, and the only people that could make him feel human, so much so that he may have fallen in love... As always, his face reddened when he thought about it, but it was true, and his little princess was determined to prove to him both that he liked him the way he was and that his current attitude was ridiculous. It seemed than Amelia wanted to convince him, not matter the cost, than if she could approve him in spite his looks, everybody could do that, too. But it was not only up to them. Could he himself really live with a stolen body, a demonic mind, and a human heart? If he could, maybe he should head back to Seillon to be with Amelia.  
  
Then he felt someone's eyes on him, and indeed someone was looking at him; he turned to see a young, dark-haired boy looking at him with the same fear and fascination as someone seeing a dragon for the first time. Zel didn't say a word when as the boy reacted, yelling:

"Monster!... It's a monster!"  
  
It was then that Zelgadiss remembered that his face was uncovered.  
  
"Take it easy, kid! I'm not going to do anything to you!"  
  
"AAAHHHH! HE WANTS TO EAT ME !! " the boy shouted, seeing Zelgadiss' fangs.  
  
Zelgadiss found himself in a perplexing situation; he had no way to calm the boy down and keep him from shouting hysterically.  
  
"HE'S A DEMON WHO IS GOING TO EAT US!!" the boy shouted again, all the more shocked, drawing the attention of passers-by, who immediately stopped to check things out. Before he knew it, Zelgadiss found himself surrounded by a frightened and verbose mob.  
  
"GET AWAY FROM THIS INNOCENT CHILD, YOU CANNIBALISTIC MONSTER!!" a resounding voice boomed. Zelgadiss turned to see a huge guy, taller than Gourry, with his jaw completely square and a scar on his right eyebrow: a perfectly stereotypical picture of a mercenary. "I, BOLAN THE BRAVE, WILL FIGHT THIS REPULSIVE MONSTER WHO WAS THREATENING THE LIFE OF THIS BOY!" the mercenary declared pompously.  
  
The child ran to hide himself in the crowd as Bolan unsheathed his sword; Zelgadiss' mind raced at the announcement that the huge man, who was at least two feet taller than him, was hell-bent on fighting him. It was a problem, the worst situation while he was trying to play it low key.  
  
"Don't think you can escape from me, you blasted demon!" continued Bolan with his boasting, "Don't you fear my glorious name!? The entire world knows it was I WHO DEFEATED RUBY-EYED SHABRINGDU!!"  
  
There were exclamations from the bystanders, but hearing this completed stunned Zelgadiss as his eyes widened and his jaw dropped. His disbelief was completed by a sweat drop that appeared on his head. What is this idiot saying!?  
  
"It's all for my dear Lala, my first and only love!!" he announced.  
  
That was the summit, and Zelgadiss had made up his mind. Seeing that how Bolan was a complete imbecile who had convinced himself he was the one who defeated Ruby Eye, and that there was no longer any means of escape, Zel unsheathed his sword in a swift, smug movement. Through the preparation, a stray thought ran through his mind, wasn't 'Lala' the name Gourry went by when he had to dress up like a girl?  
  
"Don't even think of begging for mercy, Monster! I will make you to disappear!!" Bolan threatened as he attacked Zelgadiss with his sword.  
  
"The only thing I'm thinking is that you're a fool," was Zelgadiss' reply as he disarmed Bolan of his sword with one simple thrust of his arm. Bolan watched as his sword embedded its tip into the stone walk of the port. When he turned his gaze back to his opponent he found the edge of a sword against his throat.  
  
"Leave. Now." Zelgadiss' words were calm but venomous.  
  
"Leave him alone and go away, you demon!!" shouted the rest of the mercenaries who had gathered to watch. Positive that it was now going to take much longer to wrap this up than he initially expected, Zel clicked his tongue in annoyance as he tried to come up with a solution to end the fighting all at once.  
  
"FIREBALL!" a female voice rang out.  
  
A ball of incandescent flames landed in the middle of the crowd of mercenaries; Zelgadiss was able to protect himself in time as the others fell burning around him. When the smoke disappeared he heard an irritating, familiar laughter, and his eyes were greeted by a voluptuous female body.  
  
"Naga!?" he wondered in surprise.  
  
"It seems like trouble has a tendency to follow you, Zelgadiss Graywords," she deduced, voice filled with her natural pride.  
  
"I'm quite able to resolve all of it by myself. I don't need your help."  
  
Naga continued laughing while she explained, "I didn't come here to break up a fight. I was looking for you."  
  
"What?!" Zelgadiss asked, confused.  
  
"Now it seems I'm the one who is interested in you," the zany sorceress revealed. "You said before that you're searching for the Claire Bible. I want it, too."  
  
Zelgadiss shot her a hard and distrusting grimace. "I see... And why do you want it?"  
  
"Let's go to the guesthouse, I'll explain it to you over dinner," was her answer.

****

Amelia could not sleep. Try as she might to rest, she could only think of what Martina had said to her that evening. She once again turned over on her bed in the Castle of Xoana, looking up from time to time to see the creepy mask of Zomelgustar mounted atop the headboard. Sure, Martina was still half crazy, but what she, Zangulus, and Vrumugun had said to her seemed to be truthful.  
  
"...A short time after that whole mess with Eris and her clone..." Zangulus' words echoed in her mind. "...I went to Sadgria City because it's an easy place for a mercenary to find work. While I was there, I heard about a powerful sorceress for hire who lived there and who, according to rumours, was as powerful as Lina Inverse."  
  
Vrumugun had said that he had seen her twice. "I was surprised because she looked a bit like you and because the most obscure rumours said she was the runaway princess of some kingdom or other," he divulged in his monotone way of speaking. "She called herself 'Naga the White Serpent."  
  
"Do you realize what this means, Amelia?" Martina had exclaimed. "If what they say is true, your sister might be that sorceress!"  
  
"My sister!" whispered Amelia  
  
She could be my lost older sister. She went by her nickname, she was a powerful sorceress, and the people said she was a princess. Amelia continued to think over the possibility. She remembered what had happened when those two Mazoku under Chaos Dragon Gaarv had tried to take over her country. She thought about the scar it had left on her family tree. What everyone heard was true; there was always grief in the Royal Family of Saillune. Someone was always threatening to take the crown, and it was destroying her family. That she could not deny. Even Zelgadiss, in one of his wonderfully cynical monologues, had pointed it out to her. Her Uncle Randy betrayed the Crown, followed by her cousin Alfred. She had known them both since the day she was born. Even before that her sister had disappeared. For so long, there had been problems. There were always problems, and they bit into her father and the rest of her family. She had to stop if from getting worse.  
  
But the one thing that preoccupied her most was the feeling, the thought that she could, in fact, find her sister in Sadgria City. Amelia tried to understand why the idea felt so true, tried to search her memories. Then she saw it in her mind's eye: she had seen her sister in that city with her own eyes! When she had walked by, Amelia thought she had just imagined it, but now all the pieces were starting to fit. When had she seen her, and how? ...Let's see... I went to Sadgria with Lina and Gourry when they in hiding and they had to wear costumes so they didn't get caught by all the mercenaries in the city... Yes! That's it! Gourry was dressed as a girl when that Volun "The Brave" fell in love with Gourry and promised to help them. Poor Gourry, he was so nervous he fell to the floor, and Lina and I had tried to drag him up when I saw her, right there in front of my eyes, that girl who... That girl was my sister, Gracia!  
  
Amelia stood up, whipping the sheets off of herself as her pulse accelerated. I've found her! Gracia was now calling herself Naga the White Serpent, and she was living as a great sorceress in Sadgria! But now what? Even if I know where she was, that's no guarantee that she's still there... Zangulus and Vrumugum did say she was there... An idea forced it's way into Amelia's head, rapidly consuming her thoughts. Sure enough, she thought of it more and more until she was convinced of what she should do. I am on a journey, aren't I? So she set off immediately for Sadgria, travelling as a princess, this time with the knowledge that this time she could find her sister. This time, she had a clue to start from. And she would be doing three things at once: meeting her sister, spreading justice, and solving one of the problems of Saillune's Royal Family. Heck, I'd even be practicing my sorcery! ...Not that I'm not strong enough already. Perhaps she would even run into her friends, or find something for them, like a treasure for Lina, or a magic sword for Gourry. Maybe a Claire Bible manuscript for Zelgadiss... Tee hee!  
  
There was no turning back, but, for the moment, she would have to rest. Then, early tomorrow, after giving her goodbyes to Martina and company, she would go to Sadgria.

****

Meanwhile, far away in Zefiria, Lina was trying to sort out her own problems as well. Gourry was in bed in their guest room, and Luna had turned in for the night some time ago due to the fact that she had to wake up early for work the next day. Lina remained sitting in the living room consoled by a hot cup of tea. She was disturbed by her sister's reaction to their last conversation and a bit scared as well. She had told her everything that happened in the past four years. She told her how she had to use the Giga Slave to kill Rezo because Shabringdu had been sealed in his eyes. The true stories concerning the destruction of towns were revealed, including Xoana, Sairaag, and a small sector of Saillune. Finally, she related how she had defended the world against Dark Star in the Centre of the World. Inevitably, she had spoken of her friends, too. She told her sister about Gourry, who was sleeping in the next room, Zelgadiss, Rezo's grandson who was made into his own personal berserker, and Amelia, the Second Princess or Saillune. Of course, she also mentioned Xelloss, Naga, and Sylphiel.  
  
Lina wanted to let her sister know everything that had happened, wanted her to understand how the last four years had impacted her life, but with Lina's reputation, it was hard to concern her family with such things... Luna was okay with everything she had learned, but while she listened she was always shaking her head, chiding "Now, now, now." So Lina had not divulged *everything* about the last four years, mainly because it did not seem appropriate to bring up certain topics, but also because Luna was giving off her "save it for later" vibe.  
  
Lina was scared, as she always was in respect to her sister, but especially now. She had told her sister that she had known Gourry for about three years and that he was travelling with her as her self-proclaimed guardian. This had provoked Luna to smack her upside the head while she yelled about her dependence on a 'boy who was so dumb he couldn't remember what town he was in.' In short, Luna thought that she should have enough power to fend for herself. Flustered, Lina had tried to justify having a partner by explaining that he was the owner of the Sword of Light because he was a descendant of the man who had originally defeated Zanaffar. She had also noted that his sword had been absolutely necessary during many of their battles. The real problem was that Lina had not told her sister the entire truth about Gourry; she had not informed her about how important the swordsman was to her or how she felt about him... but it was a difficult thing to accomplish when she herself did not always recognize it. Lina blushed when she thought about it, and she was eternally incapable of understanding how she could have fallen in love with a person like Gourry. He was always asking stupid questions with obvious answers, and hardly a day would go by when he was not pointing out the in abundance of her chest. As a matter of fact, he had a habit of being utterly shocked by the idea of any man being interested in her. The more she dwelled on it, however, the more she uncovered about him. It was more probable that he was so innocent and silly that he did not realize what made her angry enough to hit him. Still, they had known each other a long time. "He has to know what sets me off, everyone else knows," she reasoned to herself. Amelia had received the occasional slap. There were no problems with Sylphiel or Filia. And Zelgadiss... was Zelgadiss his habits were set, so much so that he was the only one to brave giving her a well deserved slap. Not that she could hurt him if she tried to retaliate. Now Xelloss, he was always bothering her, and that was normal. He was a Mazoku, and, just like any other Mazoku, he enjoyed feeding off the energy generated from rage. To him, she was simply an entertaining meal.  
  
But the case of Gourry was different; she hit him because he deserved it. Maybe he secretly liked it; he could have been a closet masochist. Or maybe he realized it was the way Lina hid her true feelings... Lina gulped her tea as she considered all the possibilities. She arrived at the conclusion that there was no turning back, even if it meant telling her sister. What would Luna do when she learned the truth? Would she hit her, saying that she was jumping into a complicated mess? That seemed like her sort of reaction, but why? Would she do it because Gourry was stupid, or did she do that sort of thing for no reason? Lina was afraid of the confrontation. She did not know what to think of it. So she sipped the last of her tea and decided the best thing she could do at the moment was to get some sleep.  


***

"So, if I understand you correctly, you want a copy of the Claire Bible as well," Zelgadiss summarized as he sipped his usual glass of wine. "Why is that?"  
  
The sorceress laughed in response to his sly inquiry. "For the same reason you want it, of course."  
  
Zelgadiss ignored her remark. "You didn't answer my question."  
  
"Okay... Have you ever heard of Lina Inverse, the Dark Sorceress? She's even more notorious than you." Zelgadiss looked up from his glass only to stare at her as she posed the question.  
  
He carefully downplayed his answer, "People say she was the one who destroyed Xoana's Royal Palace."  
  
"Exactly!" shouted Naga. "And the spell she used to do it was the Dragon Slave, one of the most powerful spells in Black Magic!"  
  
"Don't tell me about it," Zelgadiss huffed. "You're assuming that I practice it because of my nature. In actuality, I don't." He wanted to get off the subject of Lina without betraying any knowledge of their travels together. The listening party definitely held more than a little enmity against his friend.  
  
"Hummm!: don't tell me. Because of my nature, I prefer not practice it" Zelgadiss preferred to ignored all about before ay to Naga he knew Lina; the sorceress seems like if she had some kind enmity against his friend  
  
"I want to find a copy of Cleir Bible where I can learn that spell or one like it" said Naga, telling her plans.  
  
The sorcerer-chimera stared at her, trying to hide his surprise. Closed his eyes and smiled while Naga sighed of her glass.  
  
"So you want is being a powerful sorceress." Pointed Zel.  
  
"Yeah! She's more powerful than me in this aspect" said annoyed "It's a great treat, isn't it?: we get Cleir Bible, you for your cure and me for get more power... No one interpose the other's plans. What do you think? Would we work together?"  
  
Zelgadiss think it a moment while he eats a bit of his dinner; closed his eyes and smiled shyly while he cleaned calmly. Naga waited till he finished.  
  
"Sorry, Naga: I work alone!" was his answer.  
  
"I supposed you say that." tell Naga "But don't think I'm going to agreed"  
  
The chimera looked up and stared at her.  
  
"I told you: I'm searching Cleir Bible because perhaps I'll find 'Drag Slave' in it. With it I could defeat Lina Invers with her own power... It's my only reason."  
  
"You only wants power?" asked Zel a bit annoyed.  
  
"Yes!, and money and fame!" explained Naga pompously.  
  
Zelgadiss started to laugh with an evil tone; it was evident she was like Lina, but bugger, even she got that annoying Amelia's look. Sipped his last gulp to his glass of wine and put it in front of her.  
  
"OK. I agreed, but under my conditions!"  
  
"Right! There's no problem; it's logic" said Naga "Follow me; I'll show your room"  
  
Once he was alone in his bedroom, he striped off his cape and the rest of his clothes; sat down in his bed, what shake aloud under his weight, and though about the last success: he didn't agreed in travel with that woman who wants to do everything in the most pompous way (only hearing her laughing you catch it on) but she didn't act like she wants to lie him. If he accepted was because a lot of little details he saw during the dinner: at first that sorceress didn't want to lie about she was looking for a Clear Bible and it was easier it they search together. At second, better if he watch over her because she was looking for it, and the lost thing was this kind of enmity by Lina. He wasn't afraid for her anyway, but it was better to know whit problem hid Naga with Lina for she insists so much in do that agreement. But while...  
  
He lied down carefully and put his sword next to the pillow. The sheets smell very well, the room was clean... what more he wanted for this night?  
  
Naga kept all her luggage in her enchanted cape for next days. She can't complain in a way, she gets what she wanted and this was a great success. Although this chimera has many bad-fame, Zelgadiss seems like someone decided a persistent; smiled satisfied with the help of that chimera could be and she's so proud of her own power as to be afraid of him. Yes, finally she became better than Lina like sorceress She heard enough hearing people saying Lina did that thing and the other thing!; she had right for defeat great power, demons and be famous. She stripped her cape and gloves from her and lied down on her bed... Tomorrow she would start her journey for look for Cleir Bible.

* * *

(**Author Notes: **Special thanks to Shell Presto, a great Slayers fans, who has beta-rided this story for me ^_^


	3. Chapter3 Starting a New Journey

**Slayers Fanfic Novel by Isabel M. _aka_ Ameban.** The disclaimer belongs to Hajime Kanzaka&Rui Araizumi, Tokio Soft TV. This story is the English translation of an original "Slayers" novel wrote in Spanish. Special thanks to **Kamapon**, who translated this chapter into English for first stance, and **Ichiban Victory** (http/ who beta-read this chapter for me The original story can be found on my domain (http/ along the illustrations I did for this story. In the original Spanish version, this chapter has a Map of Slayers word in order to put clear the characters' situation.

* * *

Chapter 3:

**"Starting a New Journey"**

Amelia caressed the little horse's dense mane as the helpful stable servant put the saddle on her horse. Martina watched her with sad eyes.

"_Ooooh!_ So, are you going? _Reaaaally?_"

"Yes, I am, Martina." Amelia confirmed. "I have to meet my sister; it is very important for Seyroon's sake." The princess-priestess tried to justify her decision to Martina, "Since she left Seyroon, I have occupied her site and, if she doesn't appear one day, I'll be the next queen of Seyroon…"

Martina was offended somehow by this kind of cooperation.

"And what is wrong with this?"

"No… No, nothing… never mind!" answered Amelia quickly. "You already had seen the situation in my family; I can't let this go too far. If it happens, Seyroon's Royal Crown will disappear… Understand it! Now that I know where I can find Gracia, I have to do it."

More than anything, Martina was disillusioned of her 'Occupation Associate' leaving so soon, and Zangulus, knowing her feelings, tried to console her.

"Amelia is right, Martina." he said to her. "It is important for her country that she finds her sister."

"But… Do you have to leave so s_oooon_?"

"Yes…" Amelia answered, "I have to arrive in Sadgria as soon as possible. We'll see each other again when I come back."

And saying this, she rode her white little horse, pressed her heels in its sides and started to gallop; but Martina said suddenly, 

"Wait a minute!" Amelia pulled the reins. "Before you go, take this; it will help _youuuuu_…"

"What's this?" asked Amelia while she reached her hand out.

"_Zomerstherth_'s emblem!" Martina answered.

Amelia turned pale; she didn't imagine Martina would give her that creepy emblem, but she didn't know how say "no, thanks" to her.

"Tha… Thanks, Martina!" Amelia answered, in a fix.

"Zomerstherth will help you in your journey. If I tell him to, he'll do it…" answered the princess of Xoana completely sure of herself.

Amelia felt more disturbed; she couldn't say "no"; Martina gave it to her in a good will, so, not to prolong the situation, rode her horse again and went quickly across one of the gates in the palace.

"Zomerstherth bless you!" Amelia heard Zangulus say.

"Thank you; see you!" said Amelia.

* * *

Very far from there, what was known as the 'Outer World' outside of the Demons Barrier, in a ceramics shop an ex-priestess of Vrabazard, the Fire Lord Dragon, tried to give her meal to a little reborn dragon.

"C'mon Vargaarv!… Say 'Aaaaah'!" said the priestess.

The little dragon shook his little feathered wings and made a guttural noise as he opened his mouth; Phiria gave him a bit of meat and the little dragon ate it quickly. In that way, the ex-priestess repeat this till the baby finished his meal.

"Lady… Will he really grow up and be Vargaarv again?" Jiras asked.

Phiria was going to answer her helper when a known voice answered him for her.

"Yes, of course. Remember Vargaarv is a dragon!"

All the people in there looked for the owner of this characteristic voice; suddenly Phiria felt bad inside without any good reason… till she saw the guilty one of all this.

"Xelloss!" she exclaimed in an unfriendly tone.

The demon-priest appeared from nowhere in the middle of the back-shop where Phiria put Vargaarv's cradle, who embraced the little dragon in a protective position.

"What… What are you doing here?" she asked, scared.

Xellosss went close to her calmly with his characteristic smile and friendly expression on his face; Phiria embraced the little dragon who started to growl, annoyed by Phiria's manners and Xellosss' presence.

"Don't worry!" the demon soothed, "I'm only here for a moment: I want to see how my old enemy was." He answered simply.

Phiria turned around in a protective way, while Jiras was on guard.

"Xellosss… I don't rely on you!" said Phiria.

"Oh, c'mon! Is that the way you talk to an old companion?" answered Xellosss with that annoying tone of his "When we fought against Dark Star you weren't so suspicious."

"This isn't true! I never relied on you!" Phiria answered, protecting herself. "Why don't you say what you want?… And don't tell me '_It's a secret_'!"

"No, it isn't." answered Xellosss calmly, "I told you: I want to see to my favorite little dragon." he corroborated.

"Wh… What?" Phiria asked.

"Of course; I only obey orders from my Lady and great demons… and now I'm not carrying out a mission. Why do you think I'm going to hurt you?" explained Xellosss.

Phiria stared at him confused, losing part of her defensive posture and shook her tail in front of him trying to put all her nerves on something. Xelloss went close calmly and stopped to see the little dragon. Vargaarv growled when the mazoku approached him.

"Hi, Vargaarv! How are you? Don't you remember uncle Xellosss?" asked the mazoku in a singing tone unknown to Phiria. Without anything else she could do, Phiria showed him the little tiny dragon embraced between her arms, and the mazoku extended his forefinger in front of his jaws like an affectionate gesture. Vargaarv followed the finger with his face and tried to bite him in self-defense; Xellosss pulled his hand away quickly.

"Hey! He's got the same bad temper as the original!" said the mazoku in a humorous fashion. Phiria shook her tail in front of Xellosss again.

"Move away from him! Don't you see he's just a baby?" said the dragon furiously.

"OK, OK…!" Xellosss soothed. "There's no need to go in that way. You're not very kind." and saying this, he disappeared.

Phiria sighed deeply and relaxed.

"Are you OK, my Lady?" Jiras asked worried.

"Ye… yes; now he's gone…" Phiria answered, but she couldn't finish the sentence.

"Ah! I forgot it!" Xelloss exclaimed appearing again. Phiria and Jiras jumped in surprise and looked at him, not sure what to do.

"Wh… What do you want, Xellosss?" asked the dragon trying to be polite.

"I was about to ask you if you sell tourist guides in your shop… Because I want one about this city." Xellosss answered naturally.

Once Xellosss had gone for sure, Phiria felt as if she was relieved of a terrible weight… She, like all Golden Dragons, hated the mazoku-priest, and she had enough reasons, personal and because of her specie for it, but the fact was she was confused: Xellosss made fun of her lots and lots of times, but even with this, she had to admit even if it comes from an evil mazoku like Xellosss, he was friendly and nice… when he wants; and maybe because of that, this little group of humans who went with him when they fought against Dark Star, tolerated him in that way so… friendly. Phiria was afraid to think perhaps she was starting to appreciate that mazoku, too. He saved her on some occasions and sometimes, he provoked her anger when the situation was very dangerous; but she was troubled about the time he excused himself with her sincerely because he did. The truth was she didn't know what she could want from this mazoku.

Then Jiras brought her out of her thinking.

"My Lady; there is someone who calls himself Milgazia asking for you in the main door."

"What? Milgazia?" exclaimed the dragon very surprised.

"Yes... He says you don't know each one in person, but he knows who you are and he wants to see you."

Phiria left little Vargaarv in the cradle, who slept peacefully after his meal, and wrapped him up in a way no stranger could see him. Golden Dragons inside the Barrier weren't Varbazard's relatives, but she still bore in mind her specie killed Vargaarv's, and even the Great Elder was dead, she preferred to hide the Ancient Dragon from strangers eyes.

Once she hid him, she went to the main door.

* * *

Naga was really unbearable; since she and Zelgadiss left Sadgria, she was talking without stop along two hours about how great she was as a woman, as a person and as a sorceress while they both walked across a road that crossed hills with some trees dispersed on them. During all this time, she only praised herself in all ways possible, and for Zelgadiss that situation was unbearable… Naga was, really, like Lina in a lot of ways: she ate a lot and liked money and power like the most one, for count two examples only. But, under Zel's point of view, there was a little difference: Lina was like this because she wasn't sure about her womanhood and sorceress condition at all, so all these barbarities she did were because she wanted to demonstrate how good she was; as Naga's cause was because she was so satisfied with herself and she wanted everybody she could know how wonderful she was, making all her pompous pride get more full than it was now. So because of different things, they both made all in their way go "Boom".

But it didn't justify all Zelgadiss had to deal with.

"Are you going to shut up?" he asked, annoyed. "We aren't getting anywhere this way."

Naga looked at him annoyed and stopped.

"What's wrong with you?" she growled. "Don't you know the next town is Moziquita? What do you think you're going to find there?"

"I know it! People called it Arts City… but there isn't anything to find." declared the sorcerer-swordsman. "But…" Naga whispered.

Naga seemed to be thinking about something while she touched her cheek with a forefinger.

"Have you got an idea where can we start to search?" Zelgadiss asked definitively. "…I think the best thing we can do is analyze the possible places we could find a copy." Naga declared as she sat on a beech tree.

Zelgadiss stared at her and sat near her.

"What are you thinking about?" Zelgadiss asked in a nicer tone. "Where do you think we could start to search?" he finished hoping Naga had better ideas than him.

The sorceress crossed her arms behind her neck and leaned back on the beech tree while she looked up and stare at the top of the tree.

"Well… At first, I would choose the places where we could find a copy." she declared.

"I thought about it before!" Zel growled "And believe me when I told you it could be easier in the least suspicious place." He said thinking of Moziquita again.

"I that case, I think we must find the originals for no problems." Naga said finally, satisfied with her idea.

"No!" answered Zel suddenly, "The original Board can't be read and we would need Lord Water Dragon's permission to read them... I doubt we could get it." answered the chimera preferring to hide the true reasons of it's inaccessibility.

Naga was surprised again because of all the things he knew.

"Oh! You must have been looking for it for a long time." She declared in a self-merciful tone, "But I think we must go to the place where they are; we can't lose anything for it." Suggested the sorceress.

Zel looked away and stared into the distance for a moment as he though of the last possibility.

"Ok! Let's start our journey again, then." he said standing up.

Naga smiled in satisfaction, it seemed like she was starting to understand the annoying chimera, but when she was going to stand up, she noticed his wrist: he wore a chalzen bracelet like Seyroon's White sorceress'. He didn't realize it before, he wore it hidden… but this bracelet had something strange.

"What are you doing?" he asked "Stand up and let's go." Zelgadiss said like an order.

Naga clicked her tongue, annoyed; she was about to say something, when she stared in something shining in the middle of the road. Her pupils grew wide in happiness because of the though she had just found and, before Zelgadiss could talk again, the sorceress jumped up and ran in an amazing sprint to that shining thing.

"I knew it; I knew it!" she shouted while laughing that creepy laugh of hers. "It was a gold coin!"

Zelgadiss looked at the scene completely amazed; it was more than he could imagine, he never knew someone so greedy, that girl was even more than Lina was. But he wasn't there for her nonsense; he shook his fist, annoyed, and went to that humorous sorceress who wasn't paying attention, completely satisfied with her find… A big wrong: Zelgadiss, fed up with all this nonsense, hit her with a great punch on the top of her head, and Naga finished falling onto the ground. The sorceress turned to the chimera; Zel held up her angry look

"Come on!" he ordered "Do what you want with that coin, but go faster. We have to arrive in Moziquita before the end of the week! Perhaps we could find something there!"

"Oh, yes?" asked Naga sarcastically, annoyed because of the punch, it still hurt a lot. "How? We are still very far from Moziquita."

Zelgadiss looked at her indifferently and said a spell.

"Levitation!" he shouted.

Suddenly a white light covered his body and the chimera flew up; Naga looked at him amazed, she wasn't use to traveling by flying. She wasn't hesitant.

"Let's go!" said Zelgadiss and smiled with sarcasm. "In Moziquita you'll find all the gold coins you want."

Naga looked at him furiously: who did he think he was? Did he doubt her sorceress ability? She said the same spell as he had, and flew up. Zel watched her with a shy smile and started to fly following the same way from the air, followed by Naga with her aerial acrobatics.

* * *

Very far from there, in a town in ZePhiria, a discussion like the previous, was going on.

"But, Luna…" Lina complained "Why do I have to do that? Grape harvest isn't for a month and we haven't any cultivation."

"Yes, but every woman in town does it every year and I was doing it while you were gone, so it's your duty." Luna answered sharply.

"But I can't be here too long…" Lina still moaned.

Gourry looked at the discussion without understanding it at all, the only thing he was sure about was that Lina had change incredibly since they were there. It being the reason of that discussion, the truth was Lina wouldn't accept orders from anyone in that way; but it seemed as if Luna could do all she wanted with Lina. And Gourry was more interested in what was going to happen with the other thing.

"Hey, Lina!" he interrupted, "What is that grape harvest your sister is talking about?"

Wanting to know, Luna looked at him with a confused expression; can't that boy open his mouth if it wasn't to say nonsense? She was going to say something when her younger sister interrupted her.

"Let me do it, Luna…" Lina asked her, sighing, then she turned to Gourry. "Look, Gourry; here, in ZePhiria, all the economy is based on the vineyards and all about grapes. So, during the grape harvest, all the people in town collect grapes." she explained, "and my sister wants me to do it too." She finished with a sigh.

"Aaah!" Gourry answered, "Then, we can't go to get a new sword." he complained.

"I see!" Luna exclaimed "So that's the reason why you can't stay here any longer; it's more important for your friend's sword than the duty to your people…"

Lina became white when Luna went close to her with a furious expression.

"Lu… Luna; wouldn't you… You're not going to believe Gourry's words, are you?" she tried to defend herself.

"Ah!" exclaim Gourry in surprise, "But weren't we looking for a new sword for me?" he asked.

That made Luna get angrier, but Lina, even knowing it, looked at Gourry furiously for his big mouth

"Gouuurrry! Jellyfish brain!" Lina muttered.

Then, she received a great punch in the top of her head and, once again, she smashed onto the ground.

"That's because you've lied to your older sister." Luna said.

"Oh! Excuse me! Am I interrupting something?" they heard a singing voice.

Lina raised her head from the ground looking for the owner of this voice and Gourry did the same, but it was Luna who found it. Through the gate of the farmyard they saw a young man dressed in black velvet holding a staff with a big red jewel at the tip, and he had a happy face.

"WHO are you?" Luna asked surprised by the suddenly apparition.

"Xellosss!" her sister and Gourry exclaimed at the same time. Luna stared at them surprised.

"Do you know him?" Luna asked.

"Yes… more or less." Lina answered standing up on her foot while shaking the dust off her clothes "What are you doing at my home, Xellosss?" she asked, turning to him.

"What a welcome!" complained the mazoku "It was so hard to find you!"

Luna was glaring at the newly arrived man with some distrust: there was something in him she didn't like at all… And she knew so well she must trust in her feelings.

"Who is that man, Lina?" Luna asked, "Is he a friend of yours?"

Xelloss did the same, he was looking at her with curiosity, but he did it very discreetly.

"Who is that girl, Lina? It's the first time I have seen you with her… " he announced.

Lina sighed and answered them both.

"Ok; I'll introduce you two." she said, "Xellosss, this is Luna, my older sister… Luna, this is Xelloss, the mazoku-priest who fought against golden dragons a thousand years ago." She explained introducing them both.

"WHAAAT?" Luna exclaimed very surprised.

"Liiina. " complained Xellosss, stooping at her with his staff placed behind his back. "You can't go and say it everywhere, people get scared…!" then he turned to Luna. "So she's your sister…" he said.

Luna glared at the mazoku completely amazed, in a mix of fear and respect; Lina knew her sister well and she knew that it was becoming an uncomfortable situation for her, even Xelloss looked at her without an external emotion, but that was normal for him. Then Gourry, who was looking at the scene with curiosity, started to laugh.

"Have you seen that, Lina?" said the blond swordsman with a laugh.

"What happened?" asked Lina, curious.

"…It's your sister. She is exactly like Xellosss, but with breasts!" Gourry said.

Everyone's reaction was a show: starting from the two sisters and Xellosss who jumped and fell to the ground, then, the mazoku rose, completely confused.

"Gourry, really I never…!" Xellosss started to say and then he stared at Luna who was standing up slowly, so slowly; her head looking up off the ground, and a glance that made Xellosss get scared.

"Gooooouurrryyyy!" Luna announced dragging the name.

The next could be resumed in a blaze of explosions, spells and a lot of shrieks.

"Is she really your older sister?" Xellosss asked, Lina dolled up now while he looked at the show. The sorceress nodded obviously afraid "Man; what a temper!" Xelloss exclaimed giggling.


End file.
